According to Lacan, the image that a child sees in the mirror is “fictional” because it is a reflection of the child’s physical appearance, and it does not capture the child’s full sense of self. Lacan proposed that a “sense of self “and “individuality”  does not exist from birth, rather it is a social construct developed through growth and experiences. 

In class, we discussed the person passing a billboard and admiring the model/actor on the billboard. Although the image of the celebrity on the billboard is not a mirror image of the person admiring it, the admirer sees themselves in the other person and almost feels a sense of superiority to others and a desire to fulfill this ideal body, face, or stature. This correlates with Lacan’s mirror stage because the child is seeing themselves for the first time as functioning, capable, human being, but in reality, is still entirely dependent on others to do all of their essential life functions. At 6 months the child is unable to feed itself, bathe itself, or communicate what it needs to others. They are unable to control their bowels even. The 6-month-old is essentially powerless, yet, the mirror stage is a proud moment where they see themselves through this ideal lens and are able to better understand their sense of self. 

The child becomes aware that their physical body has potential, however, because the child is immediately unable to make the necessary life changes to be self-sufficient, they begin feeling alienated and wanting to become more complete in their sense of self. 

The child may seek to achieve this sense of fulfillment through social interactions and trying to find a language to communicate their needs. Even trying to do things on their own rather than asking a parent or guardian may be a form of self-sufficiency. 

Lacan’s theory suggests that the mirror-image stage is a period approximately between 6-18 months where a child sees themselves in the mirror and begins forming identification and a sense of “I”. Although the child is aware of their sense of self, they are unable to fulfill their needs because they are small, powerless, and underdeveloped. The child will strive to achieve this mirror ideal throughout their life, and more immediately by trying to formulate language to communicate their needs. The mirror – image is “fictional” because it is a limited representation of the self that is largely based on an ideal, while the true self stems from one’s ability to interact and communicate with others.